Kendra merely nodded. It seemed as if the earth was speaking to her, calling her home to where she truly belonged. Awareness of the warmth of Wo'itsa’s hand holding hers grew in intensity as well. New York, and her job as a detective, no longer seemed important. Being in this time, and with Wo'itsa, was her true calling. After all that had happened, especially today, this was where she wanted to be.
“It’s all falling into place,” she finally whispered.
Wo'itsa moved closer. His hand reached up to cup the side of her face. “You are my chosen mate.”
Hesitating a moment, she slowly nodded while swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. She leaned into the touch of his palm.
“So, what happens now?”
The yearning and desire displayed in Wo'itsa’s eyes grew in intensity with her question.
“I will take you back to my mother’s hut as my wife.”
“How do I become your wife?” Her heart beat faster with the implication of what he’d said. If she agreed to marry him, it meant she was not going back to her other life.
“Tradition demands we are seen together, then we spend the night in my family’s wickiup. Then you are my wife.”
He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the mouth.
“How about we toss in a little non-traditional stuff?” Kendra wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips more fully to his. If she was going to make the leap from the future to the past, she might as well do it completely.
Chapter 27
Kendra stood under the fast-flowing, natural shower that cascaded down the sheer canyon wall and plunged into a shallow pool. The cool liquid was refreshing and soothed the tension from her muscles. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head upward to let the water spray her face. She raked her hands through her wet hair, giving her scalp a good rub.
The sound of the water splashing into the pool was almost intoxicating, adding to the surreal feelings flowing through her. It was almost as if she was slowly waking up after a long night’s sleep and becoming aware of her surroundings again. How was it possible that her perspective and goals could change so drastically over such a short period of time?
While she hadn’t always known the path she’d take in life, one thing had always been certain. She’d wanted nothing to do with her grandfather or his teachings when she was growing up. She’d thought she’d freed herself from it all when she’d left the Rez. Turning her life around to become a cop – and finally a detective – had given her a purpose in life, but it all paled in comparison to the recently ignited passion in her.
With her eyes still closed and the water splashing on her face, her lips stretched in a smile. She’d heard people say that falling in love had changed everything for them, but she’d never paid much attention to them. Falling in love had never been on her radar before. But it had happened to her in the most unexpected way and under the craziest of circumstances.
She’d learned how to survive on her own on the streets of Los Angeles. She didn’t need a man to take care of her, and she certainly didn’t need one to sweep her off her feet. Wo'itsa had done neither of those things. Each time they’d met, he’d simply chiseled away at the walls she’d created to protect herself from getting attached to anyone, just by being himself.
While he’d protected her and saved her life numerous times, he hadn’t hovered or treated her like a damsel in distress. He was kind and patient, not some guy acting macho or trying to prove something. He accepted and respected her the way she was.
Even their differences seemed to bring them closer. He was deeply entrenched in his traditions, the ones she’d always resisted from Kunu’s teachings.
Kendra smiled. The meaning of her words earlier about breaking from his traditions hadn’t escaped him, judging by the way his eyes had darkened with desire. He’d pulled her more firmly into his arms, holding her close and caressing her with his look.
She retraced the touch of his hands along her cheeks from earlier when he’d made her feel like the most important person in his life. For once, it wasn’t about being called special because she was a pawn in someone else’s grand plans. He simply wanted her for who she was. Even though he’d said she should reconnect with her ancestors, he wasn’t pushy about it and hadn’t tried to force it on her.
In his typical nice-guy fashion, Wo'itsa had released her rather than take advantage of her obvious vulnerability at that moment. His touch had lingered on her skin when he’d stepped away from her, making her hum all over and leaving her with unfulfilled longing. She’d had to restrain herself from leaping back into his arms.
“We should make camp, and I will look for food before we lose daylight.” His eyes had lingered on hers for several seconds, as if struggling with a decision. He’d finally turned his attention to gathering wood and building a lean-to, then asked her to start a fire.
“I will return with some meat,” he’d said without looking at her, then disappeared into the woods, as if he couldn’t get away fast enough.
After several failed attempts at getting a fire started, Kendra had finally succeeded in getting a spark to ignite the dry leaves and branches she’d gathered. It had certainly been easier to do with a lighter or matches whenever she’d gone camping with Kunu, but her grandfather hadn’t let her cheat often. He’d taught her how to use a flint, and at least she’d paid attention on how to use it.
The sound of the nearby waterfall had finally proven too much of a temptation while she’d waited for Wo'itsa’s return. He only had a knife and tomahawk. There was no telling how long he’d be gone. Sitting around with nothing to do except letting her mind get overrun with second thoughts and what-ifs had left her with an anxious feeling.
She’d never been this nervous about anything. Her decision to remain in the past and fulfill her role as one of the Sky People should be no different than anything else. She’d always tackled things head-on. That included running away from Kunu and joining the police force in New York.
This was different, though. For the first time, she was putting her heart on the line, and that was the one thing she’d avoided doing all her life. To keep from going stir-crazy and second-guessing the most important decision of her life, she’d left camp and headed for the waterfall to divert her attention to something else.
Rather than being as frigid as she’d anticipated, the temperature had been tolerable, so she’d discarded all her clothing – except for the small leather pouch hanging around her neck containing the time travel vessel – and splashed into the water. It had been just cold enough to be invigorating.
For a few minutes, it had allowed her mind to rest. Ever since she’d admitted to herself that she was in love with Wo’itsa, her mind wandered to thoughts of him almost non-stop, setting off tingles and pleasant sensations that seemed to take over her body.
Stepping away from the waterfall, Kendra wiped her hands across her face and smoothed back her dripping hair. As nice as it would be to linger under the shower, it was time to dry off and return to camp. Besides, it was starting to get cold.
The shadows had grown longer, and the sun had already dipped behind the mountains, leaving the sky in hues of reds and purples. The fire she’d left burning at the campsite would hopefully warm her up again.
As she brushed the water off her arms, stepped out of the pool, and reached for her clothes, the distinct sound of a branch snapping alerted her that she wasn’t alone. Glancing around, nothing caught her eye, and all was quiet again except the sounds of the waterfall. Yet, something – or someone – was out there. It hadn’t been her imagination.
She grabbed her knife, which lay on top of her pile of clothes, then snatched her shirt off the ground. Another branch snapped and leaves rustled. There was no time to get dressed. Clutching her shirt to her chest, she scurried behind some trees and waited.
It only took a moment for her to start shivering in the cool air.
“You can’t stay hidden forever,” she mumbled, gritting her
chattering teeth. It was better to surprise whoever was nearby than get ambushed herself.
With her knife firmly in her grasp, she fumbled with the leather shirt, but it would take time to lace up the rawhide ties that held the thing together, and she couldn’t let her guard down at the moment. Her only option was to hold it to her chest. Not a second later, someone moved through the brush and into the clearing by the pool of water.
Kendra expelled a relieved sigh. She stepped out from her hiding place without a second thought.
“You could have called out instead of scaring me half to death, Wolf. Sneaking up on me is a habit you definitely need to break.”
Wo'itsa spun around, then stopped in his tracks, as if he’d been hit in the chest. His eyes were filled with disbelief, but they instantly darkened into something far more intense as his gaze traveled over her. Awareness crept through her that she stood in front of him completely naked, and the cold was quickly forgotten.
The only thing covering her was the shirt she now clutched tightly to her chest, but it certainly didn’t conceal much. The pouch around her neck with the vessel was no help, either, unless she used it to quickly time travel somewhere else. Of course, then she’d be stuck in a different unknown time without her clothes. Her current situation was definitely preferable.
Kendra inhaled a quick breath and raised her chin.
“Eyes up here, Wolf.” Even her best cop voice was a feeble attempt at hiding her sudden lack of confidence and feeling of insecurity.
Wo'itsa’s gaze focused on her face as he took several steps toward her to close the distance between them.
“I returned to camp and you were not there.”
“I thought I’d take a quick shower to pass the time.” Kendra swallowed. The pounding of her heart was relentless.
Every sensation and reaction Wo’itsa had awakened in her before, and that she’d thought she’d extinguished for a little while under the waterfall, came back stronger than ever. Her body trembled, but the chill in the air was long forgotten.
She blinked and mentally shook her head. Maybe it would have been better if she hadn’t admitted to herself that she was in love with him. While the feelings were pleasant and exhilarating, they also left her vulnerable and weak.
She needed to get her confidence back, and there was only one way to do that at the moment. Time to resort to what she always did in a bind, and take control of the situation.
Kendra took a step forward, bringing herself completely against Wo'itsa’s chest. In the same instant, she dropped the knife in her hand and let go of the shirt that acted as nothing more than a security blanket. She reached up to place her hands on his chest, stood on her toes, and kissed him on the mouth.
Wo'itsa’s response was immediate. His hands clasped her face between them. He tilted back her head and deepened the kiss. His lips parted to take complete possession of her mouth. Kendra’s limbs went weak. She grabbed hold of his shoulders to keep her knees from buckling and surrendered to the sensations coursing through her.
Wo'itsa leaned over her, still holding her head in his hands. His fingers raked through her damp hair until his palms cradled the back of her neck. Unable to breathe, Kendra’s nails dug into his skin to keep a tight grip on him or else she might topple over backwards.
In an effort to regain her balance, she took a shaky step backward. Wo'itsa’s reflexes were as sharp as ever, and he moved with her. Steely arms snaked around her to hold her up and pulled her tightly against his lean body. His calloused hands against her bare skin sent shivers down her spine and weakened her limbs even more.
Time stood still as she melted in Wo'itsa’s arms. Her attempt at control had completely backfired, and it was he who now was in charge. His lips played across hers with passionate urgency as his hands explored the contours of her back, sending renewed shivers of delight through her. In the next instant, he scooped her into his arms, holding her securely against his chest.
Kendra lacked the will to protest as he carried her a short distance before lowering her to the ground and onto a soft bed of moss. There was nothing to protest. This was exactly where she wanted to be, even if it meant relinquishing control to him. The thought had barely crossed her mind when he leaned over her, his face close enough for their noses to touch, and his warm eyes smoldering with unspoken desire.
Her chest heaved in an effort to get some much-needed air into her lungs. She sucked in a quick breath in anticipation of his next kiss, but it never came. Her shirt lay discarded somewhere on the ground, and the only thing concealing her was the bare skin of Wo'itsa’s chest on top of hers. His breathing was as labored as hers.
Slowly, he shook his head and raised his body, as if he intended to move away from her.
“My heart and body yearn for you, but this is not the tradition of the Tukudeka or the Sky People.” His voice was low and filled with passion.
Kendra reached up to pull him back to her. Suddenly, she was the one in control again. She smiled.
“Didn’t I suggest earlier that we don’t have to follow ancient traditions? I think it would be rather awkward to spend our wedding night in your mother’s wickiup, don’t you? Or will that mean we aren’t really married?”
There was a slight hesitation from him before he answered. “Both of our mothers, as well as the elder of the Bear Clan, have said they were in favor of a match between the two of us. As long as we both consent, we are considered married.”
Kendra leaned up to kiss him. It was too late to turn back now. This was what she wanted. She’d never been more sure of anything, and all the apprehension she’d had about making the right decision vanished.
“Then I don’t see the problem,” she whispered. “If we’re married already, we should seal the deal completely.”
Wo'itsa hovered over her, his arms on either side of her head. “This is what you truly want?”
A fleeting look of disbelief shimmered in his gaze in the dim evening light before his eyes filled with an emotion so strong it could move mountains.
Adrenaline rushed through her in response to what was written in his eyes. She smiled, then nodded. “Yes. I was too afraid to tell you earlier, but . . . I love you, Wolf. A life with you is what I want.”
There. She’d said it, and there was no turning back. With her feelings fully out in the open, she’d walked through the door of her new life and slammed it shut behind her.
Wo'itsa hovered over her, watching her as if he was trying to comprehend what she’d said. He still had her pinned beneath him, but his guard was down. Kendra smiled. The last time they’d been in this position, she’d been fully dressed and had thought he’d wanted to kill her.
Kendra leaned upward, then pushed with her hands against his chest. It didn’t take much effort to get him to roll to the side. She took full advantage of the situation and straddled him, planting her hands firmly on either side of his head. She stared down at him.
“I think I need a rematch of the last time we wrestled on the ground,” she purred.
He stared up at her, confusion in his gaze. Slowly, comprehension dawned on his face, and his lips widened in a languid grin reminiscent of a fox rather than the wolf for which he was named. In a quick and unexpected move, his arms snaked around her back, making her elbows buckle and she collapsed fully on top of him.
Wo'itsa rolled her over onto her back again faster than she could blink.
“My grandfather was right, after all,” she panted. “I do have to beware of the wolf.”
“It would appear you are a fierce warrior in all things you do, my little wife,” he growled as he leaned in to nuzzle her ear. “This time, I might let you win.”
His lips claimed hers without further reservation. Slowly at first, his hands moved over her bare skin, touching and feeling, and bringing every inch of her alive and longing for more. Kendra squirmed and gasped beneath his touch. Her hands clutched at the hard muscles of his back, but she soon allowed her fingers to wander, explor
ing every inch of his body, just as he’d done to her.
“I think this one time, I’d like to surrender completely,” she whispered.
Their lips and hands touched and teased while they learned and discovered each other in ways that left them both gasping for breath. By the time their union was complete, a full moon shimmered over the canopies of the trees and outlined the top of the canyon. The waterfall appeared as a silver veil appearing out of the darkness, creating sparkling ripples in the pool below.
“I think I may need another shower after this.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
Kendra squealed when Wo'itsa picked her up and carried her back to the water. She held on tight, wrapping her arms around his neck when he stood under the falls with her. The cool water did little to douse the heat coursing through her. With the spray of the falls on their faces, Wo'itsa kissed her again.
“This will be a new tradition of the Sky People,” he murmured against her lips.
Kendra smiled. “I can’t believe they didn’t enjoy kissing their better halves. I bet they did, but no one talked about it.”
“Perhaps, but I won’t be able to be near you without kissing you, no matter who sees us.”
“Wolf, for as devout as you are with your traditions, there is hope for you, yet, that you’ll embrace some more modern things.”
Wo'itsa set her on her feet. The warmth from his body shielded her from the cool breeze on her wet skin.
“If we are to see to the protection of the sacred mountains into the future, I believe we must embrace some changes of what is traditional.” He took a step forward, as she backed up against the slick canyon wall. His head dipped to touch his lips to hers. “But for now I would like to create some traditions of our own.”
Wo'itsa pressed his palms against the stone on either side of her head, pinning her to the canyon wall. Kendra wrapped her arms around his neck and straddled his hips. They moved as one while the water streamed down their bodies, and finally collapsed together in the shallow pool that did little to douse the fire they’d ignited.
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